Target Practice
by ScottyFTW
Summary: Casey didn't expect Ellie to see him take a bullet to protect Chuck, nor did he expect her to see him beat the living hell out of the gunman. He certainly didn't expect her to assume he was in love with her brother. Damn Bartowskis. Implied Chuck/Casey.


**Target Practice**

_**Casey didn't expect Ellie to see him take a bullet to protect Chuck, nor did he expect her to see him beat the living hell out of the gunman. He certainly didn't expect her to assume he was in love with her brother. Damn Bartowskis. Implied Chuck/Casey.**_

**Here's my first Chuck fanfic. Chuck/Casey slash. It's based somewhere in the early second season, I would think, since I haven't seen the whole series so far. I hope you enjoy and have a happy Valentine's Day (and try not to think of it as Singles Awareness Day, because hey, it's not all about goopy couple-y shit).**

**(I disclaim all rights to Chuck)

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**

Casey's attention is professionally focused on Bartowski, alert, watchful, when he sees the kid's expression go slack.

He's flashing. Casey stiffens, taking a step toward the Intersect and his eyes scanning the Buy More shoppers for the threat. His eyes return to Chuck, whose face implies that the flash is over and whatever he sees is _bad._ Casey looks again, and he sees a surly, grubby guy in sunglasses approaching the Nerd Herd station raise a gun. Chuck's hands fly up in surrender as he stumbles back a step.

Surrounding customers see his weapon and react with alarm, and Casey is already running. He hears a shrill voice call out "Chuck!" which means it's either Walker walking in at just the right time or it's that girly Lester guy, but it doesn't really matter because Casey's already leaping over the counter and throwing Chuck behind him (who squeaks pathetically and curls his fingers around the back of Casey's shirt) as the assailant pulls the trigger. The sound of gunfire sends the store into a frenzy and there's a hot burst of pain as the bullet grazes Casey's left shoulder.

"Oh my God!" Chuck yelps, and Casey starts to turn for fear that the bullet managed to hit him too, but he feels Chuck's hands fluttering in a panic over Casey's wound and returns his full attention to the gunman. He's taking a little step, looking like he's about to bail.

Casey smacks Chuck's hands away, barking, "It's _fine!_" and then shoves him down behind the counter. "Stay down, Bartowski." Chuck falls on his ass with a startled look but doesn't make to defy Casey's orders, choosing instead to babble stupidly, "Casey, I flashed! That guy is a very bad Fulcrum guy! He did some very, very bad things in Wales, I didn't even know Wales had anything to do with Fulcrum—"

Casey is already barreling through terrified customers. The Fulcrum agent is fast, already out the front doors, but Casey is faster. He tackles him and they hit the ground hard, the attacker's chin striking asphalt and his gun clattering away. Casey straddles him, getting a good grip on his coat's lapel before smashing his fist into the agent's face. It makes a satisfyingly painful fleshy sound. Another vicious punch and there's blood on Casey's fist. Three more strikes—he feels bone crack under his knuckles—

"Casey! _Casey_, that's enough, you've got him!" Chuck hasn't stayed behind the counter.

"Come on, John, get off! The police're on their way, dude." A hand closes around his arm and he looks around in annoyance—who's interrupting his spectacular beat-down?—to see Devon trying to pry him away from the Fulcrum agent—one handed, because he's scooped up the gun the agent dropped. Casey lowers his fist when he sees a crowd of shoppers has gathered.

After a brief pause, he flips the agent onto his stomach and presses his knee into his back, making sure he doesn't try to make a run for it. He says, "Guns aren't allowed at Buy More."

There's a smattering of applause and Devon claps him on the back, saying, "Awesome, John," and then he spots the blood on Casey's shoulder.

"Whoa, better check that out," he says, and he calls over to Ellie—the girly voice Casey had heard—who is in the middle of hugging her brother tight and demanding to know what he's done that calls for people coming into Buy More shooting at him. Chuck is laughing nervously and saying something about absurdly angry customers displeased with the Nerd Herd's service.

Another day in the life of protecting that damn Intersect.

* * *

Casey sits in front of his monitors, keeping an eye on Chuck as he and Grimes have a zombie movie marathon to celebrate Chuck's not being killed—_morons,_ Casey scoffs, but he decides to put off going to the kitchen for food until he sees whether or not the hot girl is going to kill her zombified hot lesbian girlfriend—when someone knocks at his door. Casey grabs his gun readily and approaches the door with caution, cocking his weapon, but when he looks through the peephole he sees it's just Ellie.

He opens the door, making sure not to reveal the monitors, and says in confusion, "Hi, Ellie."

She smiles. "John! Hi." She looks kind of nervous and fidgets with her hands as she says, "I just wanted to thank you for what you did today. Saving Chuck and taking down that guy..."

Casey gives her a tight smile. "Just doing what Big Mike hired me to do."

"Big Mike hired you to take a bullet for my brother?" She's got that smile Casey's seen on her face when she prepares to talk to Chuck about something she knows Chuck won't appreciate. Casey usually kind of liked that smile because it was almost always followed by Chuck feeling incredibly uncomfortable or insecure, but he didn't really like being on the receiving end of it. Before he can say anything, though, Ellie asks, "John—we're friends, right?"

Casey's never really considered that and he doesn't really think so, since he's always just figured they were neighbors and she just happened to be the sister of the Intersect, but he decides to go with, "Yes."

That was obviously the answer Ellie wanted to hear, because she sighs and says, "Good, so, as a friend, can I talk to you about something? About...Chuck?"

This conversation doesn't look like it's going to end as quickly as Casey would like, so he braces himself and steps outside, shutting his door behind him. Chuck and Grimes should be fine for a few minutes by themselves. "What about him?"

"Well," Ellie says uncomfortably, "it's...you know he and Sarah are happy together, right?"

It takes effort to keep his lip from curling in scorn. "Sure."

"And do you...you know...respect their relationship?" Ellie asks.

_What does that even mean?_ Casey furrows his brow, uncomprehending.

Ellie bites her lip and sighs again. Then she says, "Okay, I don't know how to ask this subtly. I just ask this because you're my friend and Sarah is my friend and Chuck is my brother, and I just want to make sure that this can all pass as painlessly as possible for everyone, and I know what you're answer is going to be but I would _really _appreciate it if you could answer this honestly—"

"_Ellie_," Casey interrupts exasperatedly. "Spit it out."

Ellie hesitates, then blurts out, "Are you in love with Chuck?"

Casey stares at her. He wasn't expecting _that._ "What? No!"

She looks distressed. "See, John, I was expecting you to say that, but it's just—you _threw yourself in front of a bullet_ to save Chuck. You can tell me the truth, John."

He can't believe he's even having this conversation. First Chuck accuses him of being in love with him—granted, that was just to piss him off (he was pretty sure)—and now Ellie was, too? What is it with the Bartowskis?

"You know I'm not gay, right?" Casey says blankly.

"I'm not saying you are!" Ellie says quickly. "Not there would be anything wrong with that, of course, but...but after seeing what you did today, it just all kind of makes sense."

_All?_ Was Casey missing something here? He stares at her, clueless, and she continues, "I see the way you are around him, John—you're always so tense and coiled up, like you're _always_ prepared to jump in front of bullets for Chuck. And you're always glancing at him and standing so close—" Casey is beginning to feel unreasonably embarrassed, even though she has _no idea_ what she's talking about. "And I get it, you two are friends, but Morgan is Chuck's _best friend_ but he doesn't act like that around Chuck."

"I'm not in love with Chuck," Casey says shortly. When Ellie gives him a sympathetic look—like he's this poor, sad little closeted man—he says again, slowly and clearly, "_I am not in love with Chuck._"

"I'm just concerned," says Ellie. "Because Chuck is...Chuck really, really likes Sarah, and I just want you to know that it would be in your best interest to...you know, let go before you get hurt."

Was she deaf? "Look, Ellie, _Sarah_ is in love with Chuck."

"Maybe so," Ellie agrees, "but she's nowhere near as protective as you obviously are."

_Obviously?_ Casey is certain Sarah is coiled just as tightly around Bartowski, ready to spring into action the second the Intersect is in danger. Casey doesn't deny that he's protective of the kid—it's his job. But how is _he_ the obvious one?

Casey is still trying to figure out how his protective shows more than Walker's when Ellie says, "And John, I wouldn't blame you at all if you were in love with him. Chuck's a great guy. He's very trusting and sensitive. He always has been! I can _completely_ understand how you and anyone else could get attached. No doubt that's one of the reasons Sarah likes him so much."

Casey won't deny that either. Bartowski's so vulnerable and trusting—stupid, gullible Chuck—and maybe that's the reason Casey dreads the day General Beckman says that a new Intersect has been developed and Chuck will no longer be needed—cold sweat beads on Casey's forehead now at the thought—but that doesn't mean he's in love with Chuck, damn it.

Casey takes a calming breath. No reason to get angry at Ellie. Ellie's a nice girl, just looking out for her brother and his relationship, looking out for Casey's feelings (_ugh_). This isn't like Chuck being a complete _idiot_ purposefully trying to piss him off like last time.

"Listen to me carefully," he says firmly. "I appreciate your concern, but I need you to believe me when I say that I am _not_ in love...with Chuck." He raises his eyebrows for emphasis, and rolls his eyes when Ellie chews on her bottom bit uncertainly. He tacks on, just to appease her, "And even if I was—_if_—I would be able to handle it on my own. I wouldn't _dream_ of breaking apart such an _adorable_ couple like Chuck and Sarah."

Okay, maybe the disdain in his voice wasn't helping his case, but Casey is officially done with this conversation. He bids Ellie a goodnight and shuts the door, walking back to his monitor, rubbing his face in annoyance. He sits back down and returns his eyes to the screen.

Morgan is alone. Casey searches the other monitors for sign of Chuck, but then he sees that Chuck as simply moved to his window, leaning out and talking to someone. Ellie. Casey jerks for the headphones, praying Bartowski hadn't listened in on his and Ellie's embarrassing conversation.

"_What was that about, El?"_

Ellie runs over the conversation with an apologetic tone while Casey seethes. Why was she telling him? Bartowski would be a nightmare about this! Casey would have to strangle him. Grimes is even listening as Ellie tells Chuck. She's not convinced Casey was telling the truth. Grimes thinks it's hilarious.

"_Dude, Chuck, it makes perfect sense if you think about it."_

Chuck dismisses Ellie's concerns and Grimes's suggestions. _"Guys, relax, Casey's not in love with me."_

_Thank_ you, Bartowski!

When Ellie leaves and Grimes focuses again on the movie, Chuck turns subtly to the camera Casey's watching him from. Casey's eyes narrow suspiciously.

Chuck winks at him, clicking his teeth suavely.

Casey rips off the headphones and storms into the kitchen, fists clenched, spine stiff, the back of his neck flushed red as he snatches a Hot Pocket from the fridge.

Damn Bartowskis. He's not in love with Chuck, goddamnit.

* * *

**Happy Valentine's Day, Jill! I would have posted earlier, but you were here when I was writing most of it. Which I don't mind at all, obviously, since it was fun, even though my mom kept trying to take pictures of us. I hope you liked this!**

**And I hope my other readers enjoyed it, too. Happy V-Day, dudes!**


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